Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-12
A Murderer Pays the Penalty CT His
Terrible Crime.

fcopgigh 1857, by ae California Associated Press
SALT LAKE, August 18th Fred IIopt, alias
Welcome was shot to death in the yard at
the Penitentiary, four miles from this city, at
12:45 to-day. The firing party consisted of five
men, with rifles. DR.. Hamilton pinned the ro-
settle over Hopts heart, and told him 10 be firm
and look straight at the guns, and death would
come quickly, and he would not be mutilated,
but would be If he flinched. The condemned
man showed the utmost frmness, and said he
forgaye everybody. but said il he had had fair
show on his first trial he would not be here to-
day. He came out of his cell smoking a cigar
and kept it in his mouth to the lest, and posed
as for his photograph. He was seated on chair
placed upon blanket, sat up firm and straight.
Marshal Dyer gave the word, Ready fire.
THE CRACK OF FIVE RIFLES
Rang out as one and the rigid body of the dead
man retained It's pose, the body falling forward
and the chair falling over backwards, the stiff
limbs resting on the rug as when he sat upright.
Two bullets pierced the small rosette pinned
over his heart, one little above the other lit
tie below, one cartridge of the five being blank
Death was instantaneous.
A NOTED cAsE-THE AWFUL cIrIE.
The case was one of great celebrity in Utah
and Wyoming for its length and the atrocious
circumstances. The murder was committed at
Park City L. T., on the night of July 3, 1850 The
victim was John +. Turner, son of John A. Tur-
ner, Sheriff of Utah county. He had started out
with two teams to get work. He met Hopt who
had been in jail at Provo, the county seat of
Utah county, for drunkenness and horse-steal-
ing, and engaged him to help drive the teams
They camped together, and were Joined later by
Jack Emerson. The deed was committed about
10 o'clock in the evening with an ak. The next
day Hopt and Emerson started with the teams,
trading OIL the grain in the wagons for whisky
and provisions. The dead body was in the bot
tom of one wagon under sacks of grain. That
night Hopt covered the body with rocks and
brush and tried to burn it. The teams were
turned eastward, and one was sold by Hopt at
Piedmont and the other at Green river.
THE MURDERER GOES on SPREE
Hopt took the money and had gay time with
whisky and women at Cheyenne till Sheriff
Turner, father of the murdered man, caught up
with and identified him. In the meantime the
body had been found and identified, and an in
quest held. On the way from Cheyenne hither, at
Green river and ut Echo attempts were made to
lynch Hopt, but he was protected by Sheriff
Turner, the father of the victim, who had Hopt
in custody.
FOUR TINES CovIC1ED.
The first trial began February To- 1881, and re-
suited in a conviction, but the United States Su-
preme Court ordered a new trial because the
Judges instructions were not reduced 10 wri-
ting, as required by law. The second convic-
tion, of March 3, 1888. was reversed on account
of Judge Hunters errors. At the third Trial.
April 29th, there was another conviction and
the Supreme Court again reversed the judg-
ment and ordered new trial because the rec
ord did not contain the charge of Judge Hunter.
Pending this appeal the Territorial Judges re-
fused to grant stay OF execution and Hopt was
about to be shot TO death, in spite of his appeal,
when Acting Governor Thomas granted re
spite.
The fourth trial was before Judge Zane from
September 2lst to the 2sth, 1885. He was con-
victed, appealed rs before, and the judgment
affirmed The remittitur reached the Third
District Court. held on June "a, 1887 and on
that date the Court reset the time for his execu-
tion for August l1th. Hopt, having been given
his choice between hanging and shooting as
the law OF Utah provided, chose to be shot to
death, and thus the final scene came of the
te1iDlS